Ashland pawnbroker indicted for elderly exploitation

Mark C. Paul

A Boone County grand jury on Friday indicted the owner of an Ashland pawn shop for allegedly trying to defraud an elderly man of his property.

Court documents show 68-year-old Mark C. Paul is charged with one count of financial exploitation of the elderly where the property value was $50,000 or more, a class A felony. Paul was booked in the Boone County jail on $100,000 bond, which he has since posted and was released.

According to the indictment, Paul obtained control over the elderly victim’s property over the course of several months from May 2016 to January 2017 through an improper use of power of attorney. The property, the indictment states, was valued at more than $75,000 and the victim was was over the age of 60.

Paul is the listed owner of Trading Post Pawn and Auto Sales in Ashland, according to the Boone County Collector’s website. He appeared in court Monday, waiving formal arraignment and entering a plea of not guilty.

His attorney, Jeffery Hilbrenner of Columbia, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Ashland pawnbroker indicted for elderly exploitation